RE: Is there an answer??
- Subject: RE: Is there an answer??
- From: &* A* O* <s*@gimcw.org>
- Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:57:45 -0600 (Central Standard Time)
When planting a potted specimen, something must be known about the plant
itself. Each species has a different root structure, different sensitives,
tolerance, etc. It is has to come up with hard and fast rules. Here are some
general precepts I use.
Inspecting a pot-grown plant before buying is paramount. With small pots, it
is simple to tip it out and look for circling or matted roots, check their
health, etc. With larger specimens, this may be much harder or virtually
impossible. In this case, you can scratch around on the surface a bit - see
if the soil is dense with matted roots. I also give the soil a light smell.
Does it have a sour or sodden aroma? Is the texture good? Reject plants that
are questionable (or at least ask about replacement policies or discounts).
When I plant, I routinely muss-up the root ball surface or any plant to
disturb the pot edge barrier that has been created. Unless the species
indicates, I don't actually tear into the root ball and 'fan out' the roots as
one might do in soil-less planting (i.e. a bare root tree). If there is a
badly circling root, and the plant is tolerant, I may try and get that root a
bit un-circled. If this is a tree or woody shrub, it may already be to late
to do much about the problem, but drastic measure may yield a good result.
Layering a branch of such a planted specimen can produce a newly rooted plant
adjacent to the poorly rooted parent. This new plant will likely thrive as
the parent gradually declines due to strangling roots.
I also routinely remove soil from the top of the root ball, sloping off from
the crown to the outside edge. In this way, I will be able to bury the potted
root ball with the native soil, while keeping the plant's crown at the proper
level. Leave the root ball intact, and exposed to air, will cause moisture to
wick unevenly and the soil contact impenetrable to emerging roots - like you
have planted it pot and all!
An organic or gravel mulch on the newly planted will help their transition and
mitigate the differences between pot soil and native soil. Many guides still
advocate mixing amendment into a larger than needed hole when planting - this
has been shown only to forestall the inevitable, that the plant will need to
learn to live in the soil of its location. It is best to plant directly into
the existing soil in a hole that is just a little large than the root ball (to
give ease of planting).
Deep irrigation at planting helps encourage new, healthy roots deep within the
soil. Apply water very slowly, but for longer duration. Depending upon your
soil type, it may take a considerable amount of time to irrigate the soil
surrounding the newly planted root ball (clay transports water slowly, gravel
quickly).
Also, planting of hardy mediterranean climate plants (which grow in
fall-winter-spring) is best done just prior to the fall rains through
mid-winter, when temps are cooler and rains likely. Spring planting should
only be done with those species that are borderline hardy or summer growing.
Seán O.
Seán A. O'Hara
sean(at)gimcw.org
www.hortulusaptus.com
